Title: Approach
Artist: Subheim
Genre: Ambient /IDM
Release Date: 1st April 2008
Label: Tympanik Audio
Introduction
Hailing from Athens is Kostas K’s project SUBHEIM. Kostas is also the co-founder of the brand new Greek label Spectraliquid which promotes innovative art & music and hosts events with important artists from the experimental scene around the globe, The first musical appearance of SUBHEIM was the track ‘Howl’ released on the first Spectraliquid compilation in December 2007. ‘Approach’ is the title of the very first SUBHEIM album which has been released at the beginning of April on Tympanik Audio.
Members
Kostas K - Music
Katja - Vocals
Website
http://www.subheim.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/subheimmusic
Track Review
01. Hush - 3:12
The synthetic sound, resembling a racing heartbeat serves as lead-in and into the world of ‘Hush’, a world filled with crackling tones and reverbs. A dull, stuttering beat comes in from afar and stays barely audible, while clouds of haze made of icy atmospheres climb up your body.
02. Ybe 76 - 4:43
‘Ybe 76’ introduces a howling wind, just like the one that’s wafting around an old abandoned house in a dark cold night. A piano, bringing the sound of melancholy breaks through this creepy atmosphere. Then it’s suddenly gone to get replaced by a looped sequence of bit crushed synths. When it finally comes in again, it’s not alone anymore but gets accompanied by a full-grown strong beat and the beauty of widely layered cascades of melody.
03. One Step before the Exit - 5:10
Wrapped inside a coat if long-stretched, layered strings and distant melodies and voices, this song starts. The experimental and somehow metallic rhythm which follows soon afterwards seems to develop its own life if one just listens to it long enough. It’s just like its changing the pace at own will, running against the remaining arrangement but then it just stoops at a certain point to make way to a more harsh underground of drums with subdued distortion effects turning into a rhythmical network of reverberating beats in the end.
04. Howl - 7:32
A seemingly endless room opens up, a room full of darkness, spherical sounds and deep drones. It could have stayed like this for me the whole song but I have to admit that the use of the slow, organic sounding drums is a great addition to the sound. This is also Katja’s first appearance on the release. Her voice is literally floating through these endless ambient textures and it also has some kind of mystical aura to it that will surely cast a spell on every listener. During the last part of the song Kostas incorporated (synth?) cellos and violins into the mix.
05. Away - 6:15
Right from the start I knew that this song would be something special and I wasn’t wrong. ‘Away’ is one of those songs that capture you immediately. This piano melody bears witness of a big sadness and this feeling springs over to the listener’s crawls over his skin and causes shivers. This melody really carries you away and you get lost in your thoughts. Significantly adding to this are undoubtedly the wide melodic synth layers and the beats, always processed with a subtle distortion and bit crush effects are reverberating into eternity.
06. Hollow - 6:35
The luring atmosphere of this track is just amazing. Initially it seems to be reduced sound mash-up but when the deep droning strings appear and Katja’s unique voice emerges, then the song unfolds its full hypnotic charm. And the listener will find himself in a cave, with skilfully crafted beats like drops of water falling down from the ceiling of that cave and when the drop has reached the ground, the echo resounds from the walls.
07. Stranded - 5:30
This comparison might appear a bit strange to you but the structure of the track is just like an architect would build a house. The foundation comprises of carefully arranged samples with deep reverbs and from somewhere the quiet burbling of an underground river gets audible. The next layer follows in the shape of an elaborate beat and on top comes the richest ambience, pads are fused with strings and at least I get the feeling of watching the sun set, standing on a wide field. Close to the end layer after layer disappears and the track gets an unexpected ending.
08. Intact - 2:32
An experimental interlude is expecting you here, I don’t quite know where to start and where the sampling ends and the electronically generated sounds start. The fusion is so perfect that it’s almost impossible to tell but what I can definitely say is that the darkness is dripping out of every pour. It is nearly tangible.
09. Voces Perdidas - 5:33
The track title is Spanish for Lost Voices and that fits. There’s another very special thing about this song which initially appears rather a classic track than an electronic composition. Lonesome piano lines with Katja’s beautiful voice are the only things we hear at first and her classically trained voice shines here, especially when she is supported by the rich string arrangement, I get goose bumps every time. The brooding rhythm has a more experimental approach and blends samples and generated sounds to one cohesive entity.
10. Hollow (Rmx by Mobthrow) - 6:05
The remix retains the overall luring atmosphere of the he original track, introducing a less experimental rhythm work into the nix together with small, beautiful violin passages. Unfortunately MOBTHROW doesn’t use the vocals from Katja yet the remix is nevertheless good.
11. One Step before the Exit (Reconstructed by Flaque) - 5:38
Initially I thought I was listening to the original but I had to listen a little closer as there’s a slight variation in the ambient theme. The beat is still the same but this wouldn’t be a remix if there weren’t any surprises. FLAQUE manipulated the rhythm by adding a few glitches and a bunch of new effects. Sounds great!!!
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9
Conclusion
Greece isn’t a country that recently appeared on the my map when it gets to electronic music but now there’s at least one talented artist I know and I hope we’ll soon hear more good music from that country. The music of SUBHEIM works on a deeply emotional base with many piano parts and rich ambiance. The music is capable of creating pictures, sceneries and emotions but you have to be wiling to get involved wit this journey…
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